Burglar phoned for a taxi

A Telford teenager called for a taxi from a house he had just burgled so he could get away with a stolen TV, a court has heard.

Nineteen-year-old Karl Jones, of Blewshill Court, Dawley, admitted to police afterwards that using his victim's home phone to call for a cab had been a "stupid mistake", Shrewsbury Crown Court was told yesterday.

The call was noticed by the victim and had been recorded by the taxi firm.

The December 3 burglary, in which Jones acted with another person, was a number of offences the teenager had admitted to at a previous court hearing, Judge Mark Eades heard.

Mr Philip Lowe, prosecuting, said Jones had also admitted allowing himself to be carried in a vehicle taken without the owner's consent, theft and handling stolen goods on December 5 and burgling a commercial unit at Halesfield in Telford on December 6.

Jones also admitted burgling his mother's house on February 9 when he stole a £400 laptop and sold it for £50 to a Telford shop.

The shop's CCTV footage caught Jones.

Mr Lowe said the December 3 offence was traced to Jones after the victim found a call had been made to a Telford taxi firm from his home phone on the day of the burglary.

Jones's voice was recognisable on the taped phone conversation to the taxi firm, the court was told.

Mr Scott Coughtrie, for Jones, said his client had a drug problem but was keen to beat his habit.

He said much of the offending related to his drug issues and because of family difficulties.

The judge ordered probation reports on Jones and remanded him in custody until a date yet to be fixed.

Appearing alongside Jones in court was 21-year-old Shane Chick, of Briarwood, Brookside, Telford who also admitted burgling the Halesfield unit on December 6.

Chick also admitted burgling a house in Stirchley on December 9.

The court heard a witness saw Chick enter the house and called police. Chick was found at the scene.

Mr Coughtrie, who also represented Chick, said he committed the offences to feed his drug habit.

Chick, was sent to custody for a total of 13 months for the offences.

By Iain St John